LA Lakers News Roundup: Boston Celtics' star marvels at LeBron James' ability to draw crowd, Scottie Pippen's son still in disbelief on being James' teammate, and more | August 23, 2022

Jayson Tatum thought he had seen it all but was still impressed by the Seattle crowd’s reception of LA Lakers superstar LeBron James.

JT and LBJ played alongside other NBA players at "The CrawsOver" Pro-Am Tournament over the weekend in front of a jam-packed crowd.

Undrafted rookie Scotty Pippen Jr. still has a hard time believing he shares a practice facility with James in LA. The Vanderbilt product previously received praise from the four-time MVP after his stint in the Las Vegas Summer League.

Bryce James, the youngest son of LA Lakers forward LeBron James, is already starting to turn heads as a sophomore at Sierra Canyon School. He announced that he has already received an offer from Duquesne University to be a part of their college basketball program.

Here are the latest news stories involving the LA Lakers as of Aug. 23, 2022:

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Jayson Tatum was amazed by the reception of the Seattle crowd for LA Lakers superstar LeBron James

The Seattle crowd all had their eyes on LeBron James the four-time MVP of the LA Lakers.

Jayson Tatum has just been to the NBA Finals against no less than Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors. JT is now a three-time All-Star and was named the inaugural winner of the Eastern Conference Finals MVP.

He knows fans will go crazy over him, but he belatedly realized his star power is nowhere near LeBron James’ appeal, particularly to young basketball fans. In an interview with Bleacher Report's Taylor Rooks, the Boston Celtics forward revealed an impressive sight that he felt lucky to see:

“I think I’m a big deal. But when LeBron walked out there… The kids lost their minds when he walked out the court. That was a cool moment to be there and see that.”

JT and LBJ made their debut at Jamal Crawford’s pro-am league, “The CrawsOver.” When “King James” confirmed he was participating in the event, fans promptly began lining up to see the LA Lakers’ franchise player.

The ecstatic fans, however, didn’t get more than a quarter of the four-time MVP and Jayson Tatum as the game was called off. Due to condensation, likely due to overcrowding, the organizers made the right decision to cancel the game.

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Scotty Pippen Jr. has trouble believing “King James” is his teammate

Scottie Pippen Jr. in action for the LA Lakers. [Photo: Silver Screen and Roll]

Scotty Pippen Jr., despite being undrafted, believes he has what it takes to make it to the NBA.

A rousing stint with the LA Lakers in the Las Vegas Summer League earned him a spot on the team. It also meant that for next season, he will have surreal moments playing as LeBron James’ teammate.

The disbelief began for Pippen Jr. when “King James” tweeted his praise of the former Vanderbilt star for his performances in Las Vegas. On "The Lake Show" podcast, Scottie Pippen’s son recalled the effect of James’ tweet and what it feels like to be in the gym with the 18x All-Star.

“It was crazy. My phone was blowing up that morning. But I think it’s even a crazier feeling to see him every day in the gym, seeing him working.

“I’ve seen him since I was a little kid, I used to be around his kids when I was young so being around my friend’s dad is still kind of a weird feeling to me.”

Seeing LBJ in the LA Lakers’ practice facility has already served Scotty Pippen Jr. in good stead:

“His work ethic. I think it’s Year 19 or something like that, so just seeing him in the morning, grinding and working, it says a lot about him. It says a lot about why he’s great at what he does and it motivates me to go out there and work harder too.”

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Bryce James receives basketball scholarship offer from Duquesne University

Bryce James, LeBron James' younger son, received an offer from Duquesne University to play in their program. [Photo: Talkbasket.net]

Bryce James is only a sophomore at Sierra Canyon School but has already caught the attention of Duquesne University. The younger son of LeBron James announced that the school has recruited him to be part of their men’s basketball program.

Bryce James has made significant strides in his game. He has also grown a few more inches, making him taller than his older brother Bronny James.

The trio of LeBron James and his two sons were recently spotted in the LA Lakers facility executing drills under the watchful eye of Phil Handy. The James brothers spent some time in Europe for a series of AAU exhibition games, playing for the California Basketball Club.

LeBron James went on social media to express his myriad of emotions while watching Bronny and Bryce James play together as teammates. The younger of the two sons didn’t have James Jr.’s highlights in Europe but is slowly gaining more attention.